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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTrans 2016-11-07 Item 1E - Review - Multi-Way Stop Signs and Marked CrosswalkCity of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor Public Works Department - Bob Giberson, Director INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Transportation Committee FROM: Bob Giberson PE, Public Works Director BY: Scott Bates, Traffic Engineering Coordinator CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: November 4, 2016 SUBJECT: Multi -Way Stop Signs and Marked Crosswalk Review ISSUE Council has requested the review of the intersections of S 135th St/34th Ave S, S 137th St/34th Ave S and S 149thSt/62nd Ave S for the application of possible multi -way stop sign and /or marked crosswalks. BACKGROUND Per the Manual on Uniformed Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the installation of multi -way stop signs and marked crosswalks should be based on an engineering study and "should not be used for speed control" (Section 2B.04.05). Unwarranted use of multi -way stop signs can lead to impatient drivers speeding between signs and ignoring the devices out of frustration, which could potentially lead to collisions. The MUTCD provides guidance (2B.07.04) for use of multi -way stops if: A. used as an interim measure to a justified traffic signal, until signal is completely installed B. five or more correctible accidents are experienced within a 12 -month period C. vehicle volumes of the major approach average 300+ per hour for 8 hours and minor approaches of combined vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians of 200+ for the same period DISCUSSION A study was conducted that collected traffic volumes and five -year accident records for the subject intersections. Based on the above warrants, the justification of a multi -way stop sign is not supported due to the low traffic volumes and historical lack of accidents. Recent observations do not confirm an existing unsafe condition at any of these intersections, although there may be some sight limitations due to vegetation at S 137th St and 34th Ave S. These three intersections are identified as school walking routes in which the manual does allow for the use of a marked crossing "where there are substantial conflicts between pedestrians and motorists" (7C.02.01). School walking route crossings are currently marked at the intersections of S 135th St/34th Ave S and S 149th St/62nd Ave S, but not at the east - west legs of S 137th St/34th Ave S. RECOMMENDATION Consideration should be given to installing a "marked crosswalk" with supporting "School crossing" signage for the east - west movement of S 137th St/34th Ave S in addition to removal of low vegetation for sight distance. There are no recommendations for additional stop signs or markings at S 135th St/34th Ave S or S 149th St/62nd Ave S, since both school crossing routes are currently marked. Attachments: Tukwila walk to school routes (Cascade View Elementary and Tukwila Elementary MUTCD support sections W:\PW Eng \PROJECTS \A - RW & RS Projects \Traffic Calming \34th between 137th- 135th\Jnfo Memo CV Tukwila Elem Stop & Crosswalks gl 110416 sb.docx 101 Cascade View Elementary - Walk to School Route Options Highline Medical Center © Specialty Campus Work Clinic Unibe Care ® Family Cli ie 1 ct t m • \ 5 el ar S 134th St ct N m N S 135th St Pgi Cascade View Elementary Piayfield m 4+ GA t 00 m S 137th St Tukwila Food Pantry Riverton Crest Cemetary S 138th St ■ • r S 141st St - • p S 142nd St I 1 40th Ave S Key Walk Area Crosswalk Tukwilla Walk Routes Trail • Adult Crossing Guard Student Patrol ©r Pedestrians Use Caution tit Crossing Signal a Stop Sign 13 Avoid Crossing Here © Library Ei School Playground Community Asset in Health Facility /Clinic APPROVED BY THE CITY OF TUKWILA SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE Made possible by funding from the Department of Health and Human Services and Public Health - Seattle & King County Produced by Feet First for the Bicycle Alliance of Washington's Communities Putting Prevention to Work safe routes to school program RECOMMENDED ROUTES ARE MARKED WITH ARROWS: This maps shows the preferred routes for walking to school safely. Please show your child the safest routes and teach them good safety habits, such as: 1. to stop at every corner and look all ways for oncoming vehicles before crossing; 2. to walk quickly, but don't run when crossing streets; 3. to use crosswalks, stop signs, traffic signals, school patrols, and adult crossing guards; 4. where no walkways are provided, walk on the left side of the roadway as far off the travelled part of the roadway as possible, facing approaching traffic. 5. to wear bright clothing. Foster Library 1 0 1/6 1/4 1/2 Miles 102 Tukwila Elementary - Walk to School Route Options S 144th St ---10 i y 1 us, 147th St t-r r 113,J e Hazelnut I •.• • . • Pari V V S149thSt l© s 0 01 w / —° 5150th PI S 152nd St Md Caaa� Rds „S 152nd PI APPROVED BY THE CITY OF TUKWILA SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE Made possible by funding from the Department of Health and Human Services and Public Health - Seattle at King County Produced by Feet First for the Bicycle Alliance of Washington's Communities Putting Prevention to Work safe routes to school program • • • • • Soot hCenter Tukwila Elementary S 143rd PI S 144th St • 5149th St ; • Key • Walk Area Crosswalk —� Tukwilla Walk Routes Trail 0 Student Patrol Pedestrians Use Caution Stop Sign O III► fr\ Police Station Fire Station Court House /City Hall School Picnic Table Playground Soccer Fields Tennis Courts TStarfire Soccer mplex 5153rd St • i• • N RECOMMENDED ROUTES ARE MARKED WITH ARROWS: This maps shows the preferred routes for walking to school safely. Please show your child the safest routes and teach them good safety habits, such as: 1. to stop at every corner and look all ways for oncoming vehicles before crossing; 2. to walk quickly, but don't run when crossing streets; 3. to use crosswalks, stop signs, traffic signals, school patrols, and adult crossing guards; 4. where no walkways are provided, walk on the left side of the roadway as far off the travelled part of the roadway as possible, facing approaching traffic; 5. wear bright clothing.. 103 Page 50 2009 Edition When two vehicles approach an intersection from different streets or highways at approximately the same time, the right -of -way rule requires the driver of the vehicle on the left to yield the right -of -way to the vehicle on the right. The right -of -way can be modified at through streets or highways by placing YIELD (R1 -2) signs (see Sections 2B.08 and 2B.09) or STOP (R1 -1) signs (see Sections 2B.05 through 2B.07) on one or more approaches. Guidance: 02 Engineering judgment should be used to establish intersection control. The following factors should be considered: A. Vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic volumes on all approaches; B. Number and angle of approaches; C. Approach speeds; D. Sight distance available on each approach; and E. Reported crash experience. 03 YIELD or STOP signs should be used at an intersection if one or more of the following conditions exist: A. An intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal right -of -way rule would not be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law; B. A street entering a designated through highway or street; and/or C. An unsignalized intersection in a signalized area. 04 In additions, the use of YIELD or STOP signs should be considered at the intersection of two minor streets or local roads where the intersection has more than three approaches and where one or more of the following conditions exist: A. The combined vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian volume entering the intersection from all approaches averages more than 2,000 units per day; B. The ability to see conflicting traffic on an approach is not sufficient to allow a road user to stop or yield in compliance with the normal right -of -way rule if such stopping or yielding is necessary; and /or C. Crash records indicate that five or more crashes that involve the failure to yield the right -of -way at the intersection under the normal right -of -way rule have been reported within a 3 -year period, or that three or more such crashes have been reported within a 2 -year period. 05 YIELD or STOP signs should not be used for speed control. Support: 0s Section 2B.07 contains provisions regarding the application of multi -way STOP control at an intersection. Guidance: 07 Once the decision has been made to control an intersection, the decision regarding the appropriate roadway to control should be based on engineering judgment. !n most cases, the roadway carrying the lowest volume of traffic should be controlled. 08 A YIELD or STOP sign should not be installed on the higher volume roadway unless justified by an engineering study. Support: 09 The following are considerations that might influence the decision regarding the appropriate roadway upon which to install a YIELD or STOP sign where two roadways with relatively equal volumes and /or characteristics intersect: A. Controlling the direction that conflicts the most with established pedestrian crossing activity or school walking routes; B. Controlling the direction that has obscured vision, dips, or bumps that already require drivers to use lower operating speeds; and C. Controlling the direction that has the best sight distance from a controlled position to observe conflicting traffic. Standard: 10 Because the potential for conflicting commands could create driver confusion, YIELD or STOP signs shall not be used in conjunction with any traffic control signal operation, except in the following cases: A. If the signal indication for an approach is a flashing red at all times; B. If a minor street or driveway is located within or adjacent to the area controlled by the traffic control signal, but does not require separate traffic signal control because an extremely low potential for conflict exists; or C. If a channelized turn lane is separated from the adjacent travel lanes by an island and the channelized turn lane is not controlled by a traffic control signal. Sect. 28.04 December 2009 104 Page 744 2009 Edition CHAPTER 7C. MARKINGS Section 7C.01 Functions and Limitations Support: 01 Markings have definite and important functions in a proper scheme of school area traffic control. In some cases, they are used to supplement the regulations or warnings provided by other devices, such as traffic signs or signals. In other instances, they are used alone and produce results that cannot be obtained by the use of any other device. In such cases they serve as an effective means of conveying certain regulations, guidance, and warnings that could not otherwise be made clearly understandable. 02 Pavement markings have some potential limitations. They might be obscured by snow, might not be clearly visible when wet, and might not be durable when subjected to heavy traffic. In spite of these potential limitations, they have the advantage, under favorable conditions, of conveying warnings or information to the road user without diverting attention from the road. Section 7C.02 Crosswalk Markings Guidance: 01 Crosswalks should be marked at all intersections on established routes to a school where there is substantial conflict between motorists, bicyclists, and student movements; where students are encouraged to cross between intersections; where students would not otherwise recognize the proper place to cross; or where motorists or bicyclists might not expect students to cross (see Figure 7A -1). 02 Crosswalk lines should not be used indiscriminately. An engineering study considering the factors described in Section 3B.18 should be perforined before a marked crosswalk is installed at a location away from a traffic control signal or an approach controlled by a STOP or YIELD sign. 03 Because non - intersection school crossings are generally unexpected by the road user, warning signs (see Sections 7B.11 and 7B.12) should be installed for all marked school crosswalks at non - intersection locations. Adequate visibility of students by approaching motorists and of approaching motorists by students should be provided by parking prohibitions or other appropriate measures. Support: 04 Section 3B.18 contains provisions regarding the placement and design of crosswalks, and Section 3B.16 contains provisions regarding the placement and design of the stop lines and yield lines that are associated with them. Provisions regarding the curb markings that can be used to establish parking regulations on the approaches to crosswalks are contained in Section 3B.23. Section 7C.03 Pavement Word, Symbol, and Arrow Markings Option: 01 If used, the SCHOOL word marking may extend to the width of two approach lanes (see Figure 7C -1). Guidance: 02 If the two -lane SCHOOL word marking is used, the letters should be 10 feet or more in height. Support: 03 Section 3B.20 contains provisions regarding other word, symbol, and arrow pavement markings that can be used to guide, warn, or regulate traffic. Figure 7C -1. Two -Lane Pavement Marking of "SCHOOL" Sect. 7C.01 to 7C.03 December 2009 105 Page 52 2009 Edition Section 2B.06 STOP Sign Applications Guidance: 01 At intersections where a fill stop is not necessary at all times, consideration should first be given to using less restrictive measures such as YIELD signs (see Sections 2B.08 and 2B.09). 02 The use of STOP signs on the minor- street approaches should be considered if engineering judgment indicates that a stop is always required because of one or more of the following conditions: A. The vehicular traffic volumes on the through street or highway exceed 6,000 vehicles per day; B. A restricted view exists that requires road users to stop in order to adequately observe conflicting traffic on the through street or highway; and /or C. Crash records indicate that three or more crashes that are susceptible to correction by the installation of a STOP sign have been reported within a 12 -month period, or that five or more such crashes have been reported within a 2 -year period. Such crashes include right -angle collisions involving road users on the minor- street approach failing to yield the right -of -way to traffic on the through street or highway. Support: 03 The use of STOP signs at grade crossings is described in Sections 8B.04 and 8B.05. Section 2B.07 Multi -Way Stop Applications Support: 01 Multi -way stop control can be useful as a safety measure at intersections if certain traffic conditions exist. Safety concerns associated with multi -way stops include pedestrians, bicyclists, and all road users expecting other road users to stop. Multi -way stop control is used where the volume of traffic on the intersecting roads is approximately equal. 02 The restrictions on the use of STOP signs described in Section 2B.04 also apply to multi -way stop applications. Guidance: 03 The decision to install multi -way stop control should be based on an engineering study. 04 The following criteria should be considered in the engineering study for a multi -way STOP sign installation: A. Where traffic control signals are justified, the multi -way stop is an interim measure that can be installed quickly to control traffic while arrangements are being made for the installation of the traffic control signal. B. Five or more reported crashes in a 12 -month period that are susceptible to correction by a multi -way stop installation. Such crashes include right -turn and left -turn collisions as well as right -angle collisions. C. Minimum volumes: 1. The vehicular volume entering the intersection from the major street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least 300 vehicles per hour for any 8 hours of an average day; and 2. The combined vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle volume entering the intersection from the minor street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least 200 units per hour for the same 8 hours, with an average delay to minor- street vehicular traffic of at least 30 seconds per vehicle during the highest hour; but 3. If the 85th- percentile approach speed of the major- street traffic exceeds 40 mph, the minimum vehicular volume warrants are 70 percent of the values provided in Items 1 and 2. D. Where no single criterion is satisfied, but where Criteria B, C.1, and C.2 are all satisfied to 80 percent of the minimum values. Criterion C.3 is excluded from this condition. Option: 05 Other criteria that may be considered in an engineering study include: A. The need to control left -turn conflicts; B. The need to control vehicle /pedestrian conflicts near locations that generate high pedestrian volumes; C. Locations where a road user, after stopping, cannot see conflicting traffic and is not able to negotiate the intersection unless conflicting cross traffic is also required to stop; and D. An intersection of two residential neighborhood collector (through) streets of similar design and operating characteristics where multi -way stop control would improve traffic operational characteristics of the intersection. Sect. 2B.06 to 2B.07 December 2009 106